Social Presence in Social Live Streaming Services: Moderating Roles of Viewer Loneliness and Streamer Physical Attraction

Social live streaming services (SLSS) have gained widespread popularity globally, placing a strong emphasis on viewers’ social experiences. As the performance of streamers in SLSS relies on virtual gifting and visit duration, it becomes crucial to explore the impact of social experiences and how they are cultivated within SLSS context. Moreover, the role of personal predispositions of both streamers and viewers has not been fully considered. Drawing from social presence theory and para-social interaction, this study aims to establish and empirically examine a theoretical framework that elucidates: (1) the effects of social experiences (i.e., para-social interaction and sense of belonging) on viewer behavior in SLSS, (2) the effects of social presence on social experiences, (3) the moderation roles of user predispositions (i.e., viewer loneliness and streamer physical attraction). Through the analysis of data obtained from survey responses, the research findings contribute to our understanding of viewer behavior in SLSS.